Monday Mashups: Social Media Tips, Myths, Pitching Your Local Foodwriter and Customer Service
15 Social Media Lies, Myths and Fairy Tales
Great read, check it out.
10 Social Media Tips When Commenting and Responding to Customers Online
A thorough infographic on how to respond to customers in the social media space.
Restaurant Social Media Marketing In the Flesh
Need we even say that social media works for restaurants? Here’s a quick overview of a case study done recently.
How to pitch your local food writer
Six tips on how to deliver a perfect pitch to your local foodies.
Overexposed? Thanks to SceneTap, San Francisco bars are now profiling you
It’s amazing how far technology has come, this includes facial recognition – or perhaps ‘approximation’ would be more appropriate. With SceneTap, many bars around the US can identify your gender and age to help run better campaigns for the bar. Click here to read on.
Was It Good For You? 5 Ways to Improve Customer Service
Whether you’re working the ‘front lines’ of a company or you’re the CEO – take these five pointers to improve your customer service skills.
Monday Mashups: Pinterest, Website Rankings,Social Reports and a Facebook case study
Pinterest Outperforms Twitter, Facebook for Purchase Power
An interesting infographic on social media darling, Pinterest. According to the study, Pinterest is “projected to account for 40% of all social media driven purchases”. Some of the top influential Pinners are retailers and print magazines. Read on for the infographic.
How Does Social Media Affect Website Search Rankings?
More research done on six different websites with six different campaigns. Was twitter the most effective? How about Facebook or Google+? The results may surprise you.
Social Media Users Spend 21% More on Brands that Exceed Customer Service Expectations
In a new study done in the US, they have found some interesting numbers in terms of customer service. 93% of customers say companies fail to exceed their customer service expectation. 83% of social media users do not go through with a purchase because of poor customer service and so on. For more stats, read here.
Google Analytics Adds Social Reports
A quick summary of the newest addition to Google Analytics: Social reports measure your social marketing initiatives. Read on.
Case Study: Nutella Facebook Ad Campaign Outperforms TV
TV Advertising is costly and sure there may be more ‘eyes’ on the television – but it seems ads online are starting to outperform their tv counterparts. Another example of quality over quantity, read on about Nutella’s 29% exclusive reach on Facebook.
Monday Mashups: Facts, Figures, Klouchebag-iness and a Case Study
20 Interesting Facts, Figures and Statistics Revealed By Facebook
As Facebook heads into their IPO, more and more statistics has come out including growth factors,usage, revenue and so forth. To read more, click here.
48 Significant Social Media Facts and Figures and Statistics, Plus 7 Infographics
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and so many more infographics on one article. A great up-to-date look at Social Media and how it isn’t going anywhere or slowing down. Click here to read more.
Are You a Klouchebag?
Whether you’re an avid user of Klout or a skeptic, this metric (purely for entertainment purposes) might make your day.
7 Ways to Use Twitter for Engaging Your Users
Connect with influencers, follow the competition, research and many other ways are discussed in this article about finetuning your twitter usage.
Appleton Rum Facebook Ad Success, 20,000 New Fans
This case study looks at the recent campaign by Appleton Estate Rum and how they increased their fanbase to over 20,000 new fans.
Restaurant Branding Round Up – 5 Ideas You Can Use
Inspired by a recent trip, Karen Post shares her 5 ideas to help with branding your restaurant.
Monday Mashups: Restaurants in Social Media, Timeline Help, Gamification and Visibility
Should your restaurant be doing social media? 5 questions you should answer first.
Everyone is trying to dive right into social media – but before you make the commitment and shell out the cash, do you know if your restaurant really needs social media? Check out these five tips here.
Anatomy of a Facebook Timeline Page
If you’re looking to take the guesswork out of the new Facebook Timeline, look no further. This infographic breaks down the entire page thoroughly and with some helpful tips to get you and your brand started.
How gamification can boost customer interactions, train staff and improve stakeholder engagement
An interesting article taking a look at some examples of gamification done successfully by brands and how you can utilize it for your own business.
5 Ideas that can score visibility for your restaurant
The 5 ideas discussed are not only social media orientated but easily implemented strategies.
Monday Mashups: Running Contests, Accessibility to Companies and Mental Health
How Effective is Tweeting a Tech Problem?
Businesses are now realizing how important Twitter can be in terms of customer service. With the ability to reply back in real time, users are looking to interact with companies online.
This article takes a look at whether you need a formidable twitter account to get a reply back, how companies use twitter to respond to questions and chat with customers and so on.
Read more here.
Is Social Media Harming Our Mental Health?
The National Post looks at whether being connected 24/7 is harming our mental health. Why are we really posting to facebook – to help our ‘self esteem’? This article offers tips and some interesting facts on social media and psychology.
Read more here.
3 Tips for Effective Social Media Contests
Looking to run a social media contest? Here’s an article on the Mashable to get you started. Click here.
Reader: Uneducated diners perpetuate uneducated service
Is “everyone a critic” online? Some candid thoughts on that and how service in FOH changes a dining experience. Click here.
Subway Partners with the Nature Conservancy for Earth Day
Subway has partnered up with the Nature Conservancy to help raise awareness through Twitter and Facebook for the 2nd annual Picnic for the Planet which ties into Earth Day on April 22.
Offline, they’re offering reusable meal bags at Subways with Conservancy themes now until May 31st.
Read more about it here.
Crowd-sourcing dinner: a Social Media faux-pas?
Zokos is a website that lets your friends chip in to your lavish dinner party ($30 plus a 3% fee). The article debates whether such a service is considered rude. What ever happened to a good old potluck?
Read more here.
We’re Looking for Rockstar Interns!
Could you be the next Popcorn Kernel? We’re looking for some creative, hardworking and amazing people to join us for the next 6 months. As a boutique agency, you will definitely get hands on experience in a variety of roles!
Our last two interns Juliane and Saschie were amazing and contributed so much to our company! Here’s what they had to say about their time with Popcorn:
Juliane:
“For the past few months, I had the pleasure of meeting and working for Dennis, Nick Routley, Amy Elderkin and Dee De Los Santos. All well respected in their own areas of the marketing industry, I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge and insight into social media marketing.
The team was fantastic to work with and to work for. Shakeira MacLean and I were warmly welcomed to the team last November and we were both respected as equals right from the start. It wasn’t all about eating popcorn and bacon though. The team put us to work right away, with myself curating the weekly Monday Mashups and researching material for blog posts.
Some weeks were busier than others and I had to learn to juggle a full time job with this internship. In saying this though, the Popcorn team always ensured Shakeira and I weren’t overburdened with work and was always acutely aware of our obligations outside of Popcorn business.
I’m extremely grateful for the experience the team offered and although I’m sad my internship is over with Popcorn, I’ve taken away with me five new friendships, better research, writing, and social media management skills, and unforgettable memories of our Monday night meetings and shenanigans 
”
And Saschie’s experience with us:
“I had an amazing internship experience with Popcorn! Right from the get-go I felt like part of the team. My favourite part of this internship is how Juliane and I were able to participate in creative and strategic sessions. We got to experience the agency from every level – from the conception of a campaign to the execution. It was great to be a part of the entire process!
Dennis, Amy, Nick and Dee were very approachable and made it a comfortable learning environment. Everyone was patient and was willing to explain anything that needed clarification. I appreciated the flexible working hours and being able to go at my own pace. I wasn’t micro-managed and was welcome to take initiative on various projects. I was able to handle a variety of assignments that included re-doing the press kit, social media analytics, writing copy/tweets, working at events, and researching and supporting agency initiatives.
The Popcorn team always checked in to see if I was happy with the type of work I was doing and made sure I was never overwhelmed but felt challenged enough. I mentioned that I wanted to shadow a client meeting and they made sure it happened. I’m grateful that they were willing to teach me anything they could.
I loved being surrounded by leaders in the Vancouver social media industry. There was a buzz of creativity and originality at every meeting and passion for what they did. The love for their work made our weekly meetings fun and full of laughs – I always left with a smile on my face. The next intern will be very lucky to work with and learn from such a great group of people!”
We wish both of them the very best in their burgeoning careers!
If you think you’ve got what it takes to hit the ground running and work with us, send us your resume, cover letter and wow us!
Email resumes to Dee, our PR Manager at dee [at] gopopcorn.ca.
We are doing interviews in the coming weeks with the internship starting in May!
Monday Mashups: Apps, Online Farmers’ Market and Handling Your Social Media Image
Food Franchises Quickly Adopting Social Media
Now that social media is becoming a formidable force to reckon with, more and more franchises are jumping on the band wagon. This article takes a quick look at franchises from KFC to Starbucks that are doing well with their marketing efforts. Check it out here.
Top 10 Free Apps to Help You Keep It Local
From heavyweights like Yelp and Urbanspoon to newcomers like Local Dish, the folks at Food and Drink Digital round up their favourite apps that come in handy when you’re dining out in your city. Apps for iPhone and Android that ranges from keeping track of where you’ve eaten, a compilation of local food blogger reviews on a restaurant and so much more found in this article.
Foodzie Unites Artisan-loving foodies with Small Scale Producers.
From candies, jams, meats, cheeses and spreads – there’s something to quench every foodie fanatic’s thirst. Check out Foodzie, who also offer tasting boxes every month.
How Hotels, Restaurants and Other Firms Handle Social Media Image.
Being in the hotel and restaurant industry is already volatile – now throwing social media into the mix makes some owners uneasy. There is definitely great opportunity to communicate with fans but with an open forum can bring off-coloured remarks too.
There are a couple of suggestions on how to measure your reputation online and knowing the line between libel, slander and random comments. Click here to read more.
Woman of the Week: Shannon Bosa-Yacoub
Our final Woman of the Week has helped defined the landscape of the Vancouver restaurant scene. Alongside her husband, she has built the successful, trendy and highly-regarded Glowbal Collection. With her social media prowess and voracious business savvy, Shannon Bosa-Yacoub embodies a woman with the drive to succeed.
We caught up with Shannon to learn a little about how she uses social media to propel the Glowbal Collection to the #1 Twitter Feed in Vancouver (as voted by in the Georgia Straight’s Golden Plates) and her tips on staying afloat in a male-dominated industry.
Tell us a little about your background, how did you get into the restaurant industry?
I’m a born and raised Vancouverite. I’ve been lucky to travel the world, however I always love coming home. I’m so thankful to have grown up in such a great city.
I studied Business & Communications at SFU and later went on to study Interior Design at BCIT. I got into the restaurant business completely by fluke. I’ve always loved dining out but never really thought it a career choice until I was looking for a summer job.
I started at Joe Fortes as a hostess. I loved the business within the first second, I think. Within a few months, it became quite clear to me that this was my passion. By the time I left Joe’s, I was managing the floor.
I went on to meet my husband at Joe’s…and the rest is history.
What challenges do you face as a woman in the industry?
I find that most women who succeed in the restaurant business have balls. As it’s a male dominated industry, you need to be strong willed and detach yourself from emotions sometimes.
I’ve always earned the respect of my co-workers by being smart, making good decisions and knowing how to play the game.
How did you get involved in social media?
I’ve been on Facebook forever. I signed up for Twitter, mainly out of curiosity in March of 2009 and the account sat dormant for many months.
It wasn’t until a good friend of mine, David Allison, who was helping me re-brand Glowbal Group convinced me that having a personal twitter account to complement my business account was a good idea. I was so hesitant at the time as I’m a private person, but slowly jumped in for the sake of making it work for my business.
I noticed immediately that it was beneficial.
How have you used social media to get your brand ahead?
I was a bit of a doubter when I first got Glowbal Group on twitter. I didn’t understand what the point was and how it could benefit my business. As the years have passed, clearly my opinions have changed.
My husband and I have built Glowbal Group based solely on the mandate of providing exceptional customer service and going above and beyond customer expectations. Social Media has given us another avenue to reach these goals. Through Twitter & Facebook I’ve been able to not only reach out and thank our guests, but also intercept problems and address guests who aren’t fully satisfied. It’s a way to stay connected with my guests and humanize the brand.
What makes Vancouver different from other cities with regards to social media?
I can’t really comment about how other cities are, however I find Vancouver to be super savvy when it comes to Social Media. Just recently when I was dealing with the producers for Top Chef Texas and coordinating the tapings at Black+Blue and Coast, they commented on how we’d be able to keep this confidential with the amount of tweeters in the Vancouver. We clearly have a reputation!
What tools do you find useful to manage your social media efforts?
I love my Hootsuite!
What kind of advice do you have for aspiring women entrepreneurs like yourself?
Know what you have to offer. You can’t sell yourself to a prospective client or business if you don’t know what you’re all about. Whether it’s a business plan, a proposal or simply a pitch, know it inside out. You need to be able to speak with confidence about every aspect of what you’re selling.
Be aggressive. Opportunity is not going to knock on your door. So many people want the money and the success and I’m surprised at how many take the approach of waiting for it to come to them. If you’re waiting, you’re missing out.
Do your research. I’m amazed at how many times I’ve taken a meeting with someone who has no clue what I do or what my business is all about. Sure fire way to get thrown out of my office….with a smile, of course.
Make eye contact. Have a firm handshake. Remember people’s names. Look your best. Always respond to an email within 48 hours, even just to touch base. Never let your client or your staff see you lose control – the second you start panicking, they will too. Be genuine and authentic. BE a warrior.
To connect with Shannon, follow the Glowbal Group or her personal account on Twitter and check out the Glowbal Group on Facebook!
Food trucks and social media, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and the Mad Men return!
Woman of the Week: Crystal Henderson, Yelp’s Marketing Director
We kicked off Popcorn’s Woman of the Week series two weeks ago with Metro Newspaper’s Erin Ireland, also creator of itstodiefor Bacon Banana Bread. This past week, we introduced another amazing figure in Vancouver’s social media scene: Crystal Henrickson, Yelp’s Marketing Director for Canada and the US West.
Missed her inspiring interview on Kernel’s Korner last week? Read it here.
What Food Truck Owners Can Teach You about Social Media
Social media is a communication medium that can be accessed anywhere and therefore a reason why food trucks turn to this form of marketing for their business. At this year’s South by Southwest Interactive, a panel of food truck owners and social media experts met to discuss “the intersection of social media and food trucks.”
Check out this post for great tips on how to capture and engage an audience to grow your community.
How Chipotle Uses Social Media to Cultivate a Better World
When eating a chain store hamburger, have you ever thought of where the bun, the patty, the cheese, the lettuce and tomatoes came from?
Chipotle Mexican Grill wants to sell food, but they also want their customers to know the story behind their flavour exploding burritos and tacos. Going back to grassroots initiatives, this hugely popular restaurant uses social media to tell the story of the local farms where ingredients come from and to showcase the many faces that together, make the Chipotle family.
Read this to learn how to tell a story, the Chipotle way.
The Mad World of “Mad Men” Food
Don Draper and his team returned to the air waves last night and what better way is there to celebrate with booze, and lots of it? When the advertising mavens like to pour themselves a few, they don’t forget about pairing their drinks with fine food. Oysters Rockefeller anyone?
Are you inspired to re-create Betty’s rib eye in the pan with butter? Or Sally’s French toast? Join Mr. Draper and dive into the world of fine food fit for advertising gods.
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Woman of the Week: Crystal Henrickson
Original Picture by: TrevorJansen.com
From budding entrepreneur to becoming Yelp’s Marketing Director (for Canada and US West) our Woman of the Week, Crystal Henrickson, is a prime example of chasing your dreams. She leads a growing team of community managers; guiding and inspiring to help steer Yelp into the success it has become.
Crystal shares her story, and insight to what it’s like to be at the helm of Yelp’s Marketing and how she perceives her work-life balance.
Tell us a little about yourself, how you got into social media and working for Yelp.
I have now been working with Yelp for 3 years. I give credit to another fantastic female entrepreneur, Lisa Esposito who owns Salon Montage in White Rock/Langley. We met when I worked in biz dev in cosmetics. She encouraged me to take my marketing savvy and set out on my own. I took on my own clients and spent the next two years helping them understand and engage with social media while creating and executing marketing campaigns on their behalf. And then, one day, I saw a Craigslist posting with my dream job (job description in full here) Community Manager at Yelp.com. Before that, I had sunk my teeth into a number of vocations: make up artist, business development and cosmetics sales, liquor sales and even a small stint recruiting.
What challenges do you face as a woman in your industry?
I love what I do at Yelp — my day-to-day schedule is always changing, I’m often home for only a few nights at a time, and I’m constantly out meeting new people. I recognize that I’m lucky to have found an industry that is still so new, a company that focuses on one my core values – supporting local businesses – and a workplace that gives me the opportunity to flex my creativity on the daily. It’s probably because of this that I don’t feel a need to separate my home life and my work life. The challenge is explaining, and sometimes feeling the need to justify that, for me, it’s not really work when so often it feels more like play. And I actually really love the almost 24/7 nature of it.
How did you get involved in social media?
This might have seemed embarrassing back then, but I’m proud to give props to the online dating scene of 6-7 years ago for introducing me to social media. I learned so much about people’s personas online and had multiple opportunities to put aside any fear of meeting strangers in real life. And then came Facebook, Twitter and Yelp… and the rest is chronicled online.
How have you used social media to get yourself and Yelp ahead?
As a regional lead for Yelp, social media is my first channel of communication. From sharing events and projects my team is working on, to sourcing events and projects we want to be involved with, social media has proved time and time again to be an impactful broadcaster when we have something important to share. It has become an efficient research tool and a powerful space to build and develop relationships.
What makes Vancouver different from other cities with regards to social media?
Vancouver is a very collaborative city – with many entities participating in projects for the betterment and promotion of all – so it only seems natural that locals would embrace social media. I recently polled Yelp’s Canadian Community Managers, and they remarked that their social media scene feels more heavily male dominated. I don’t get that sense in Vancouver, which feels more balanced to perhaps, more female forward.
What tools do you find useful to manage your social media efforts?
It’s tough to have a routine in a lifestyle job, so I strive to stick to a flow instead. I love checking “My Talk” on Yelp’s mobile app to keep up to date on conversations I’m participating in, as often they occur across several communities. Muting out distractions, like my Twitter home stream, keeps me more time efficient. I turn to Hootsuite to help me here: the ability to have multiple streams for unique accounts, search queries and lists as well as sharing accounts with co-workers is a huge plus. Hootsuite’s stats analysis has made targeting more of a breeze too.
What kind of advice do you have for aspiring women looking to get into your industry?
Stay curious. Ask questions. Read. Be connected, both online and offline. Keep an “I’m learning” attitude and be your most passionate self.
To connect with Crystal you can follow her on her Yelp account, on Twitter or Facebook!
